Alumni affinity credit cards: making the relationship work

Abstract

The credit card industry in the UK has a growing number of affinity cards, some of which are specifically aimed at the alumni of universities. Discusses the evolution of the relationship between the university alumni officers and the credit card issuers responsible for the alumni affinity cards. Bases the research on a five‐phase model of relationship formation and describes how the alumni officers perceive their relationship with their affinity card issuers through the phases of awareness, exploration, expansion, commitment and dissolution. Concludes that the entry of the affinity card issuer potentially dilutes the strength of the relationship between the alumni and their university, as the card issuer seeks to build a direct relationship with the alumni affinity cardholders. Alumni officers and others responsible for initiating affinity credit card agreements, therefore, need to be aware of both the benefits and costs of establishing and maintaining relationships with affinity credit card issuers.